Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the implications for the health of children in the Dungavel immigration removal centre if they do not have access to proper meals.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has no plans to make any representations on this issue as the operation and management of Dungavel, including the welfare of children, is the responsibility of the Home Office.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for appointments with audiology and ear, nose and throat departments in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant, following GP referral, is collected at specialty level only. Audiology is a sub-specialty of ear, nose and throat.

  The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of ear, nose and throat, following GP referral, in each NHS board area, for the last four years is given in the table.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment Following Referral by a General Medical/Dental Practitioner in the Specialty of Ear, Nose and Throat, by NHS Board Area of Residence, in the Years Ended 30 June 2000, 30 June 2001, 30 June 2002 and 30 June 2003P.

  


NHS Board 
  

Median Wait (Days) 
  



30 June 2000 
  

30 June 2001 
  

30 June 2002 
  

30 June 2003P




Argyll and Clyde 
  

43 
  

44 
  

53 
  

69 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

42 
  

56 
  

56 
  

48 
  



Borders 
  

85 
  

59 
  

53 
  

34 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

42 
  

59 
  

70 
  

51 
  



Fife 
  

69 
  

42 
  

69 
  

89 
  



Forth Valley 
  

46 
  

53 
  

62 
  

62 
  



Grampian 
  

70 
  

74 
  

80 
  

84 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

60 
  

70 
  

68 
  

77 
  



Highland 
  

37 
  

49 
  

57 
  

46 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

66 
  

77 
  

89 
  

95 
  



Lothian 
  

55 
  

52 
  

52 
  

56 
  



Orkney 
  

28 
  

42 
  

35 
  

-1




Shetland 
  

42 
  

40 
  

42 
  

50 
  



Tayside 
  

56 
  

80 
  

74 
  

57 
  



Western Isles 
  

38 
  

57 
  

37 
  

-1




Scotland 
  

55 
  

59 
  

66 
  

67 
  



  PProvisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Note:

  1. Information not shown due to small numbers.

Common Agricultural Policy

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale is in place for consultation on, and implementation of, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive will be undertaking a full and open debate with all stakeholders on the various flexibilities set out in the CAP Reform agreement of June 2003. A formal consultation will be launched in October and will last for a period of three months. This consultation will look at how the different flexibilities available in the agreement can be used in Scotland to achieve the vision set out in A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture . Other elements of the consultation involve a national stakeholder group, regional stakeholder meetings and a conference. Decisions on the various options will be taken once the consultation process is complete early in 2004.

Defence

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of the environmental security and public safety impact of the containment measures put in place by Her Majesty’s Government to deal with the live cluster bombs dropped in Luce Bay, Wigtownshire, in 1999.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has made no recent assessment of the containment measures, as this is a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

  QinetiQ operates the Luce Bay range on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and undertakes an annual survey of the trial area. A full survey was conducted on 26 August 2002, and an interim visual assessment in April this year. Both the survey and visual assessment confirmed the safe and satisfactory containment of the area in question.

  A further full survey commenced on 3 September 2003.

Dentistry

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the provision of dental services in the Dumfries and Galloway area.

Mr Tom McCabe: It is the responsibility of the NHS board or Primary Care NHS Trust to assess the overall provision of dental services in its area. However, the Scottish Executive recognises that there are increasing problems with access to NHS dental services in Dumfries and Galloway. For this reason, Dumfries and Galloway is one of the designated areas of Scotland which benefit from enhanced incentives from the recruitment and retention packages introduced by the Executive.

  Access to NHS dentistry and the conditions under which dentists work is being kept under constant review.

Doctors

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to address the difference in salary levels between middle grade doctors and junior training grade doctors.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have taken the term "middle grade doctors" to refer to non-consultant career grade (NCCG) doctors. The salary levels applied to non-consultant career grades and to junior training grade doctors, as for all medical staff, are recommended annually by the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (DDRB), which is independent of government. The Scottish Executive has consistently accepted all the recommendations of the DDRB and implemented them in full.

  The DDRB made clear this year in their Thirty-Second Report that any consideration they might give to additional remuneration for NCCGs should follow on from reviews into medical career structures which are currently being undertaken across the UK, including in Scotland. These reviews are expected to report to ministers before the end of the year.

Dyslexia

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the possibility of testing all primary school children for dyslexia as part of its commitment to promoting equality and inclusion in education.

Peter Peacock: Education authorities should have procedures in place to identify and provide for pupils with dyslexia, and other support needs. A number of tools may be used to this end, including routine monitoring and assessment of class work by classroom staff.

  In support of this, in 2003-04 the Scottish Executive has provided £8.4 million for the training and development of staff working with pupils with additional support needs. In addition, Dyslexia Scotwest and the Scottish Dyslexia Trust have been awarded over £180,000 from the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme 2002-04 in support of two dyslexia-specific projects. Furthermore, over £20 million of inclusion programme funding has been provided by the Executive to local authorities to support pupils with additional support needs.

  Proposals contained in the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill aim to strengthen further the duties on education authorities to identify and address the needs of pupils who require additional support, including those with dyslexia.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it is making to Her Majesty's Government and the European Union to protect the water industry in the light of the current negotiations on liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

Ross Finnie: Regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be in regular contact with DTI and other Government Departments on trade issues, including the GATS negotiations, to ensure that Scottish interests are fully taken account of.

  The GATS negotiations do not threaten the Executive’s right to supply water services as a public sector service. Public services are excluded from the scope of GATS and the EC’s initial offer to the World Trade Organization on 29 April did not contain any commitments on water services.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with Her Majesty's Government regarding the Executive’s proposed compensation scheme for patients infected through contaminated blood products.

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will take action to make payments to those suffering from HIV and hepatitis C through blood transfusions.

Malcolm Chisholm: I announced on Friday 29 August that the UK Government has agreed that the Scottish Executive does have the necessary powers to establish our proposed scheme. In a parallel announcement, the Department of Health has decided to provide financial assistance to people in England.

  The Executive will now progress the detailed business of establishing the scheme.

Higher Education

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are to address the funding implications for higher education in Scotland of higher student tuition frees in England.

Mr Jim Wallace: Changes to the fee regime for higher education in England are not planned until 2005-06, subject to parliamentary approval. We have initiated a third phase of our review of higher education in order to consider the possible impacts on Scottish higher education of any new funding system introduced in England. We are working closely with a range of interested organisations to gather and analyse relevant data. The third phase of the review is due to report early in 2004. The funding of higher education will then be considered in the usual way in the forthcoming spending review.

Housing

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had into the review by HM Treasury of the housing market as part of its economic assessment of membership of the single currency.

Mr Andy Kerr: A Government decision to recommend UK entry into EMU is a reserved matter, and therefore a matter for the UK Government. The Government will only recommend UK membership of EMU if it is in the national economic interest. The Secretary of State for Transport and Scotland represents Scottish interests in the UK Government.

  Other Government Departments were involved in aspects of the preliminary and technical work (encompassed in the EMU studies). But the assessment itself is a Treasury assessment produced for the Government, and the work was undertaken by the Treasury.

  The Executive is in contact with both review teams and will contribute as necessary to their deliberations.

Housing

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the social housing stock in the Borders.

Ms Margaret Curran: In the current year we have increased the Communities Scotland development programme in the Scottish Borders by 39% to £3.9 million, which will fund 69 new or improved affordable homes. Communities Scotland is also working closely with Scottish Borders Council in support of its strategic housing role.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated to Glasgow Housing Association Ltd since the completion of the Glasgow housing stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Since the completion of the Glasgow housing stock transfer in March 2003, £68.1 million of funding has been paid to the Glasgow Housing Association Ltd.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the recidivism rate was for people (a) resident in and (b) released from medium secure units in each of the last 10 years, broken down by unit.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not collected centrally.

  The first medium secure unit for mentally disordered offenders in Scotland opened in 2001, in line with the Scottish Executive policy Health, Social Work and Related Services for Mentally Disordered Offenders in Scotland, published in 1999. Medium secure units provide an appropriate and safe care and treatment option between the State Hospital at Carstairs, which provides forensic psychiatric care in conditions of high security, and individual wards in psychiatric hospitals, which accommodate a wide range of patients suffering from mental illness. Patients are only transferred or discharged from secure units when there is agreement, following a comprehensive risk assessment, that it is safe to do so.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist or supported homes are available for adults with learning difficulties in each local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally, although work to collate this data is on-going.

Maternity Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with the newborn hearing impairment screening programme; what budget is available for the programme, and when this budget will be made available to NHS Grampian.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1735 on 22 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  All NHS boards are expected to meet the costs of the newborn hearing screening programme from within their existing resources.

NHS Hospitals

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) wards at (i) the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, (ii) Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride and (iii) Wishaw General Hospital, and (b) departments in the University of Edinburgh Medical School at Little France, have air conditioning units installed.

Malcolm Chisholm: These are matters for Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust, Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Edinburgh as the bodies responsible for the New Royal Infirmary, Hairmyres Hospital, Wishaw General Hospital and the University of Edinburgh Medical School. The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Hospitals

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent upgrading facilities at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh since the hospital opened.

Malcolm Chisholm: Neither the Scottish Executive nor Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust has spent any money upgrading facilities at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh since the hospital opened.

NHS Hospitals

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure safe and comfortable working conditions at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Malcolm Chisholm: The department is in regular contact with Lothian University NHS Trust regarding its progress on responding to the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who visited the site on 13 June. The HSE have revisited the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh recently and expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the trust.

People with Disabilities

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Special Needs Capital Grant has been withdrawn and what plans there are to replace or reintroduce it.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her answer is given below.

  The Special Needs Capital Grant has been suspended pending discussions with the European Commission about its compatibility with state aid rules. The future operation of the scheme will be reviewed following the conclusion of those discussions.

People with Disabilities

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to increase the availability of suitable housing for disabled people.

Ms Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34822 on 25 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Pre-School Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on pre-school modern language learning.

Peter Peacock: Current policy is that all students are entitled to experience learning a modern language no later than primary 6. There are already some Scottish projects involving children as early as primary 1 in learning modern languages through partial immersion techniques.

  In the pre-school setting, the Scottish Executive’s Curriculum Framework for Children aged three to five provides guidance to early years practitioners which recognises that the pre-school years are an ideal stage to enrich children’s language experiences by exposing them to different languages.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the action local authorities are taking to meet their recycling targets.

Ross Finnie: Statistics on waste recycled by local authorities are collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The Executive is monitoring local authority action on meeting recycling targets through our assessment of bids under the Strategic Waste Fund. Under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, local authorities will be under a duty to prepare Integrated Waste Management Plans, which will be assessed and approved by the Scottish ministers.

Road Accidents

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the number of serious and fatal road accidents on the A90 in Aberdeenshire.

Nicol Stephen: Each year the Scottish Executive analyses accidents across the trunk road network, which includes the A90, in order to identify and bring forward an annual programme of targeted road safety improvements.

  A recent safety review of the route between Dundee and Aberdeen identified safety measures at the Charlestown Interchange, Bridge of Muchalls and Muchalls Bends, which will be progressed this financial year. Three other locations on the A90 in Aberdeenshire, including at Laurencekirk, are currently being investigated by BEAR Scotland.

Road Traffic Act 1988

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department for Transport, given the Executive’s responsibility for road safety, regarding the training sheriffs receive in the application of road traffic law on careless driving offences that have caused death or serious injury and, in particular, section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Hugh Henry: The Executive has not made any representations to the Department for Transport on this matter. Training for sheriffs is a matter for the independent Judicial Studies Committee. Sheriffs do receive refresher training on matters such as sentencing practice.

Scottish Water

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the administration of Scottish Water.

Ross Finnie: Since its creation 17 months ago, Scottish Water has made steady progress in merging systems and operations inherited from the former three water authorities and I am satisfied with its administration. There is, however, no room for complacency and rates of progress on overall levels of customer service, operating efficiency, and investment and asset management will be assessed annually by the Water Industry Commissioner.

Social Work

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the structure of criminal justice social work.

Cathy Jamieson: Our policy is laid out in A Partnership for a Better Scotland . It states: "our policy is to publish proposals for consultation for a single agency to deliver custodial and non-custodial sentences in Scotland with the aim of reducing reoffending rates". We are planning to publish a consultation document before the end of the year.

Traffic

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still plans to reduce road traffic to 2001 levels by 2021.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive policy remains to strive to stabilise road traffic at 2001 levels by 2021, through investing in an integrated package of measures - modernising and improving public transport, promoting alternative modes of transport to the private car and targeted motorway and trunk road improvements

Waste Water

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle odour emissions from waste water treatment works.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is closely monitoring the implications of a 23 May 2003 decision of the High Court (in England) on the applicability to waste water treatment works of the nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  In the event of the water company being granted leave to appeal against this decision, and the House of Lords then upholding its appeal, the Scottish Executive would then consider whether to consult on legislative change.

  The Scottish Executive also intends to consult on a voluntary Code of Practice that will provide advice and guidance to local authorities, the water industry and the public regarding the successful resolution of odour and other nuisance problems from waste water treatment works. The draft voluntary Code of Practice is due to be finalised and issued for public consultation towards the end of the year.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made under the £2.5 million fund of the European Union LIFE Nature programme and the match funding made available by the Executive for the conservation of capercaillie, detailing (a) the name of the applicant, (b) the purpose of each application, (c) whether the application was successful and (d) the amount (i) sought and (ii) awarded; what the benefit of each successful application will be to capercaillie conservation and how this benefit will be monitored.

Allan Wilson: One application has been made under the European Union LIFE nature programme. The Scottish Executive has made available direct match funding totalling 138,571 euros. Other match funding has been provided by other organisations involved in this Life Nature project, which include Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

  (a) The applicant is The Caledonian Partnership, co-ordinated by Highland Birchwoods.

  (b) The application is aimed at benefiting and conserving the capercaillie.

  (c) The application was successful.

  (d) The amount of match funding sought was 3,677,720 euros and this sum, which represents 50% of the total project cost of 7,355,440 euros, was approved.

  The application will be of particular benefit to capercaillie as the conservation work includes the marking or removal of deer fencing, predator control and brood habitat improvement. Optimal management of a key site will be achieved through land purchase.

  A project steering group will monitor the overall success of the project.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre any evidence which suggests, or proves, that capercaillie are killed by flying into deer fences.

Allan Wilson: Relevant information is available on section 2.8, page 25 of Capercaillie: A Review of Research Needs , Steve J Petty (June 2000). A copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29055).

  There are also various reports in the public domain, including:

  Baines, D. & Andrew, M. (2003). Marking of deer fences to reduce frequency of collisions by woodland grouse. Biological Conservation 110: 169-176.

  Baines, D. & Summers, R.W. (1997). Assessment of bird collisions with deer fencesin Scottish forests. Journal of Applied Ecology 34: 941-948.

  Catt, D.C., Dugan, D., Green, R.E., Moncrieff, R., Moss, R., Picozzi, N.,Summers, R. W. & Tyler, G. A. (1994). Collisions against fences by woodland grouse in Scotland. Forestry 67: 105-118.

  Moss, R., Picozzi, N., Summers, R.W. and Baines, D. (2000) Capercaillie in Scotland - demography of a declining population. Ibis 142: 259-267.

  Moss, R.(1987). Demography of capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in north-east Scotland. II. Age and sex distribution. Ornis Scandinavica 18: 135-140.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assess the effectiveness of the measures to conserve the capercaillie and who will be responsible for such an assessment.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that any audit of measures to conserve the capercaillie are carried out independently.

Allan Wilson: Highland Birchwoods is responsible for collecting data on capercaillie populations on LIFE project sites and reporting this to the EU on behalf of the organisations involved in the EU LIFE Nature project to conserve capercaillie. These monitoring activities are an integral part of the LIFE project. Independent consultants have been appointed by the European Commission to audit LIFE projects.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many capercaillie have there been in each year since records began.

Allan Wilson: The Petty Report lodged in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 29055) contains references to past population records. The first national survey conducted in 1992-94 estimated the population to be 2,200 individuals (1,500-3,200, 95% confidence limits) (Catt et al. 1998). A similar national survey was performed in the winter of 1998-99 and produced a population estimate of 1,073 individuals (549-2,041, 95% confidence limits) (Wilkinson et al. 2002).

  The above reports are in the public domain:

  Catt, D.C., Baines, D., Picozzi, N., Moss, R. & Summers, R.W. (1998). Abundance and distribution of capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in Scotland 1992-94. Biological Conservation 85: 257-267.

  Wilkinson, N.I., Langston, R.H.W., Gregory, R.D., Summers, R.W., Gibbons, D.W. & Marquiss, M. (2002). Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus abundance and habitat use of in Scotland, in winter 1998-99 Bird Study 49(2): 177-185.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to prevent the predation of capercaillie by pine martins and whether it will consider introducing legislation to allow for the control of pine martins under license in areas where capercaillie are present.

Allan Wilson: Current legislation does not allow measures to prevent the predation of capercaillie by pine martens. The Scottish Executive is currently considering a range of proposals for possible inclusion in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the Swedish Government regarding the numbers of capercaillie in Sweden and the measures that the Swedish Government employs to protect capercaillie, and whether the Executive has made any representations on these issues to the European Commission.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has to date made no representations to the Swedish Government or the European Commission on this issue.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the European Commission on its responsibilities under the EU LIFE programme to control the predation of capercaillie.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to the European Commission in this regard.

Wildlife

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be made available to Uist hedgehog rescue volunteers to meet any requirement by Scottish Natural Heritage to electronically tag any hedgehogs removed from the island.

Allan Wilson: I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage is currently in discussions with scientific representatives of Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR) and other welfare organisations to discuss the design and implementation of a trial translocation in spring 2004. This discussion includes the costs and opportunities for funding such a trial. It is envisaged that such a trial would be entered into on a partnership basis but, in advance of details of the trial design or specific costs being finalised, it is impossible to state at this stage what levels of funding will be available from the partner organisations.

Wildlife

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage has instructed that all hedgehogs removed from Uist must be electronically tagged prior to their release on the mainland and, if so, what the Executive’s position is on this matter.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2092 today, I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is currently in discussion with scientific representatives of Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR) and other welfare interest groups to discuss the design and implementation of a trial translocation in spring 2004. This would include methods of marking and monitoring which are required for robust statistical analysis of the data. It is likely that this would use electronic tags, as these are a suitable and reliable method of tracking a mobile species. All guidance given by Scottish Natural Heritage on the marking of relocated animals pertains to those included in the trial as SNH does not condone the relocation of animals without suitable monitoring in place to assess the fate of released animals.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Wildlife

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to electronically tag a hedgehog removed from Uist and released on the mainland.

Allan Wilson: I understand from Scottish Natural Heritage that electronic tagging equipment comprises two component parts: the electronic tag and the receiver necessary to detect the signal. Various systems are available, however, the proposal submitted by Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR) in February 2003 included costs of £150 per hedgehog for electronic tags suitable for this species and £1,500 for a receiver and antenna.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it received a copy of Securing the future of the Scottish Capercaillie: a trans-European approach for establishing best practice  from North Highland College; on what dates it received further correspondence from the college requesting a response, and what its reasons are for not responding.

Allan Wilson: The report was received in March.

  No further detailed written representations were made by the North Highland College and the Scottish Gamekeeper’s Association. I met representatives of both organisations on 21 August to discuss this and other related nature conservation issues and have asked officials to give a preliminary response to the North Highland College's proposal by the end of September 2003.